Unreal Engine 5 is coming to Volvo cars
Not only will the Unreal Engine 5 power a new The Witcher game, but it will also be used by Volvo. The Swedish automaker revealed, in collaboration with Epic Games, that the first vehicle will use the new engine later this year.
Epic Games' Unreal Engine 5 has been officially available since May. Based on this engine, a new The Witcher will be released. Developers can get the graphics engine for free. Epic Games must then be compensated with a five percent revenue share based on the sales figures for the specific game.
Alternatively, an individual license deal with Epic Games might be reached. The new Unreal Engine 5 will be used in new Volvo Cars vehicles later this year, according to Epic Games and the Swedish car maker Volvo Cars.
Since 2020, Volvo Cars has used Google's Android Automotive OS. Google Maps takes over navigation, and those interested in using Spotify in the Volvo can download customized Android apps from the Play Store. There is no need for a smartphone connection here because all data traffic is routed through the permanently implanted eSIM card.
After a lengthy testing period, the Volvo owner can purchase paid data volume to continue using the apps to their full potential. Volvo will include the Unreal Engine 5 in new vehicles to enable video games in cars in the future. Later this year, the manufacturer, which is part of the Chinese conglomerate Geely, plans to unveil a new vehicle with an infotainment system based on Unreal Engine 5.
According to Heiko Wenczel, Epic Games' Director of Automotive & HMI, the new graphics engine should allow images to be presented in real-time, opening up entirely new entertainment choices in the car.
Volvo employs the third version of Qualcomm's Snapdragon cockpit platform, which succeeds the Snapdragon 820A. In 2019, the third edition of the Snapdragon Automotive Cockpit platform was unveiled for the first time.
An optimized Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 is used, together with eight Kyro 485 cores. Like the GPU, an Adreno 640 is fitted. According to current information, UE5 will be offered only in new Volvos, not as an update for older vehicles.
Along with Volvo Cars, BMW and VW employ Qualcomm SoCs in their connected vehicles, while Mercedes-Benz uses Nvidia and Tesla uses AMD Ryzen. Volvo is the first European vehicle manufacturer to adopt Unreal Engine 5. The Unreal Engine 4 is used by General Motors, for example, in the Hummer EV electric vehicle.
